Babies should be placed on their backs to reduce their risks of cot death

Putting babies to sleep on their backs reduces their chances of catching infections, say doctors.

Parents have long been advised to put babies to sleep on their backs to reduce the risks of cot death.

However, some parents say they are concerned this increases the baby's chances of choking.

But doctors in the United States say they now have evidence to show those fears are groundless and that the practice has major health benefits.

Fewer fevers

Dr Carl Hunt and colleagues at the Medical College of Ohio analysed data on 3,733 infants across the US.

Their mothers were asked if the babies were put to sleep on their stomachs, backs or sides.

They were asked to report episodes of ill-health - fever, coughing, wheezing, stuffy nose, breathing trouble or vomiting - at fixed intervals, when the baby was one, three and six months old.

The study revealed that none of the babies involved in the study had choked on its own vomit.

But it also showed that those put to sleep on their backs were less likely to have a fever, stuffy nose or to have to visit the doctor.

The researchers did not say why infants who sleep on their back are less likely to suffer certain illnesses compared to those who sleep on their stomachs.

But writing in the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, they suggested it may be because stomach-sleepers have higher mouth and throat temperatures.

They suggested that these higher temperatures could provide a more attractive environment for the bacteria that trigger colds and infections.

Dr Duana Alexander, director of the US National Institute of Child Health which funded the study, welcomed the findings.

"Placing infants on their backs not only reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, but also appears to reduce the risk of fever, stuffy nose and ear infections."

The Foundation for the Study into Infant Deaths said this latest research backed up their calls for parents to always put babies to sleep on their backs.

A spokeswoman said: "Parents are sometimes concerned about putting babies to sleep on their backs.

"But the medical evidence shows there is nothing to be concerned about. We can reassure them that they are doing the best for their children."